


The War is Over and We Are Beginning

by wordsmith_kari



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Choices, Episode: s02e19 A Nightmare on Killmotor Hill!, Family Feels, Found Family, Gen, Homelessness mention, Look if you're here you know Lena's backstory, past child neglect implied, post-ep, we're starting there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:40:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24041473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsmith_kari/pseuds/wordsmith_kari
Summary: Once upon a time, Scrooge promised Lena a place in his family.  Next to Magica and an empty amphitheatre, it looked like a dream come true.  Now she's not so sure...  But being alive means making choices, whereas family can mean a lot of things.
Relationships: Lena (Disney: DuckTales) & Scrooge McDuck, Lena (Disney: DuckTales) & Violet Sabrewing, Sabrewing family
Comments: 5
Kudos: 82





	The War is Over and We Are Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> According to Frank, Ty is the one with the buzzcut and Indy is the skinnier one. Clearly, we have no idea what their characterization actually is but, for the sake of this story, it is important to me that you know that.

Violet

Violet had never been good at pesky things like "feelings" and "tact," but she had known enough not to question who Lena was before she was a shadow. She was Webbigail's best friend, and that was all that mattered. Now, though, the pieces were coming together in startling relief.

"You can stay here, you know." Webbigail's voice was gentle but it had a tendency to carry. Violet knew she would say it as Lena rolled up her sleeping bag, just as she knew what the older girl's response would be. She overheard it every morning she had woken up at a sleepover at the McDuck Mansion.

"Thanks, Pink. But I'm gonna bounce. Places to go."

She had always assumed, perhaps naively, that Webbigail only meant for the day and some sort of familial obligation had kept Lena from acquiescing. Now, however, she saw things differently. After all, she only knew what the wolfe meant because she used to have that dream herself. Often.

"Lena," she started as they stood together on the porch. "Where _do_ you go when you aren't here?"

She glared at her, but Violet recognized the expression and the terse tone as defense mechanisms.

"Home."

"Does 'home' have a familial unit?" She glanced sideways at the door to the manor before meeting Lena's eyes again. "Or a roof?"

She glared another moment before sighing, her shoulders and her guard falling.

"I don't mean to pry," Violet continued, when it was clear Lena wasn't going to answer her. "But why _don't_ you stay with Webbigail?"

Lena's words rushed out in a way Violet was beginning to associate with her stream of guilty conscience. "I would! If it was just Webby...and don't get me wrong, I love the whole ragtag group of them - don't tell them that - it's just a lot. There's so many people and it's _so_ loud and you never know what's going to happen next and-" She cut herself off abruptly, sighing again. "I know I sound awful and ungrateful, and I wouldn't give up these slumber parties for the world, but...living at the McDuck Manor is just..."

Violet stared, wide-eyed and unblinking, as Lena kicked at the ground, her head hanging low. Her mind was whirling as she did some calculations. She had few memories of Before, but every one of them involved a house so loud and crowded she wanted to crawl out of her own skin to get away from it. Lena's past was a mystery, but her emotions were completely relatable.

She came to a conclusion quickly.

"Lena, I would like to formally invite you to dinner at the Sabrewing home. It will be at seven. Do you have any dietary restrictions?"

Stunned, Lena shook her head.

"Excellent. Saturday is meatloaf night." She pulled a card from her pocket and passed it over. "This is the address. I will see you at seven."

Violet opened her front door at seven o'clock on the dot, knowing Lena would be there on time even though she hadn't knocked or rung the bell. Sure enough, the older girl was pacing on the porch.

"Look, Vi," she said, not meeting her eyes and fiddling with the string bracelet Webbigail had made her. "It was nice of you to invite me and all, but this is a terrible idea. I don't leave a great impression on parents. And you're call and all, but you said it yourself. The only thing we really have in common is Webby."

Violet tilted her head. "I believe I may have been mistaken."

She took Lena's hand and opened the door with her other one, pulling her in after her.

"Violet?" her dad called from the kitchen. "Is your friend here?"

They were still holding hands when a man entered the foyer. "You must be Lena," he said, smiling. "We're so glad you're here."

"And just in time!" Papa said, coming in behind him. "Meatloaf just came out of the oven."

Violet used her free hand to gesture to each person in turn. "Lena, I'd like you to meet my fathers, Indigo and Tyrian Sabrewing. Dad, Papa, this is Lena."

"It's so nice to meet you," her papa said, reaching out to shake her hand.

She took it, mouth slightly agape. Violet could all but see her thought process on her face, see the moment she realized that this wasn't a traditional family. She knew there were other possibilities, and Lena probably wouldn't guess all of it - she'd tell her later - but she hoped that this cognizance and her earlier statement led to a certain understanding on Lena's part. 

She hoped Lena could tell she wasn't alone.

"I...thanks for having me," she finally said.

They sent her on her way that night with a double portion of leftovers and an open invitation. The door was barely closed behind her when Violet started to set up her charts in the living room. She was mentally rewording a few points based on the successful dinner when Ty came up behind her.

"Violet, honey...what's this all about?"

"Now that you've met Lena, I have a presentation I'd like to give."

"Uh huh." Indy rubbed the back of his neck. "How long is this presentation exactly?"

"Should be approximately twenty-five minutes with a five minute question and answer section."

Her dads exchanged a look that she recognized but couldn't define. Ty sat on the couch in front of her first, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "It's getting kind of late...could you give us the thesis now and show us the full presentation tomorrow?"

She considered this for a moment. "I'm concerned," she said slowly, "That will lead you to dismiss my proposal without giving it proper deliberation."

"What _is_ the proposal?"

"We should adopt Lena," she responded, matter-of-factly. "And I can support this suggestion with four main points."

"Wait." Indy sat down next to his husband, sinking heavily into the plush cushions. He put one arm on the back of the couch and rubbed his tired eyes with his other hand. "She doesn't have a family?"

Violet shook her head. Another look between them, and Ty patted Indy's knee.

"I'll make some coffee. Then you can give your presentation."

* * *

Lena

"You, uh...wanted to see me?"

She stood in the crack of the door, her hand still on the knob. The office was well-lit from the window he was staring out of now, his hands clasped behind him. She knew that the boys were out there now, shooting each other with water guns. She had barely missed being sprayed on her way inside.

"Aye," he said, taking his seat. "Come in."

She walked into the room slowly, a hesitant step at a time. She choose to stop between the two armchairs pointed towards him, concentrating hard on keeping her hands still as he watched her over the rims of his glasses.

He didn't look angry, he looked...calculating. Lena still didn't quite understand Webby's full-on obsession, but she had long past stopped thinking of him as a "doddering old man." With that stern look in his eyes, it was easy to see the legend Scrooge McDuck, the one who had defeated countless dark creatures and wrestled his way out of poverty to build an empire.

She wasn't _scared_ of him, but it had been a weird week and anxiety sat in her stomach like a stone.

"I got a call this morning from a lawyer I pay a substantial amount of money to...keep an eye on certain things for me."

She gulped, her mind casting backwards to figure out what she could have done wrong. It wasn't about Magica - they'd told him she was back themselves, so there was no need for a lawyer to call. Unless she had done something new...did Scrooge blame her for it? Was he about to ban her from the manor or-

"I hear you got an offer last night."

She blinked. "You mean Ty and Indy?"

Scrooge nodded once. The Sabrewings had invited her to dinner again and, as Ty set a bowl of peach cobbler in front of her, had asked if she'd be interested in joining their family. She probably should have seen it coming since they had spent the whole meal not-so-subtly asking about her living situation.

She had been so shocked she almost said no out of hand, but Violet, in that straightforward way of hers, had told her she was the one to originally suggest it, and now she had to at least entertain the idea. So they had a long conversation where she was not just allowed but _encouraged_ to ask questions and voice her concerns (something Magica had never been interested in), ending with her promise to think about it.

And she had been thinking about it. She could barely do anything _but_ think about it. Obviously it was a better situation than staying at the amphitheatre.

But were those really her only options?

Scrooge was no longer sitting behind his desk. While she'd been lost in thought, he had come around to stand in front of her. 

Maybe he had read her mind. "I hadn't mentioned it because I thought it was implied, but...my offer still stands as well."

With this, he smiled, the warmth washing over his features and reducing her hot ball of anxiety to a subtle unease.

He rubbed his chin. "To be honest, I...kind of assumed you had already moved in..."

It was tempting, of course. There were ways it would even be easy. Everyone here already knew her past, so that was one less secret she would have to keep. Having Webby within arms' reach was a clear plus. And being part of this family, a family who faced their enemies and each new challenge with unrelenting fierceness and loved each other just as strongly would be amazing. Even the manor should have been a draw - the wide open space should feel like freedom after years of sleeping in the cramped amphitheatre basement.

She still couldn't shake the feeling that it was all wrong.

"I appreciate that, Mr. McDuck. Your family is...really, _really_ great."

"Most of the time," he mumbled with a smirk. He waited for her to crack a smile before prompting, "But?"

"But..." She scratched the back of her neck. "I saw a _lot_ of things while I was Webby's shadow. I might be down for an adventure or two, but I don't think I can life my whole life like that," she admitted.

He nodded. "You know, Donald often chooses to keep the homefires burning, as it were. There's more than one way to be part of the family."

She hesitated. While she searched for words, Scrooge sized her up.

"I see," he said, clapping his hands together. "Then we'll have to get on finding you the right fit. I can make a few calls..."

Lena settled back on her heels. This whole 'freedom to choose' thing took some adjusting to. The first few were easy: an either/or with the obvious winner being 'protect Webby.' But there was part of her that was starting to resent the dichotomy of it all. Sleep at Webby's or under the amphitheatre. Give in to Magica or fight, eternally exhausted.

The McDucks or the Sabrewings.

Hearing scrooge put it that way, like she had a world of options and she could pick whatever was right for her...it changed everything. She could be part of any family, find one she belonged in. For the first time, she felt like she could breathe. For the first time, she stopped thinking about what she didn't want and started to imagine what she _did_.

It was all so clear now.

"Thanks, Mr. McDuck, but...I think I have."

She met his watery eyes, his smile matching hers. "Going to be a Sabrewing then?"

She nodded. The last of her anxiety melted away and her heart felt full enough to burst.

"That's all I needed to hear," he said. "Go on then."

She had her hand on the door knob when he called her back.

"You can call me Uncle Scrooge too, lass. Or just Scrooge, if you'd rather. Mr. McDuck is mostly for people who work for me."

"I know for a fact that Launchpad has called you Uncle at least once."

He rolled his eyes and waved her away. Alone again, he pulled a paper from his desk drawer and called Launchpad to bring the car around.

* * *

Scrooge

When Ty opened the door he wondered, for a moment, if he was hallucinating.

"Mr. McDuck?"

"I don't know why you're so surprised," he said, amused. "Your daughter has been to multiple sleepovers in my home."

He shook his shock away and stepped to the side. "Please, come in."

Scrooge tipped his hat and then removed it as he crossed the threshold. "Is your husband home as well? I've something I'd like to discuss with you both."

"Umm...yes?" He led him into the living room, gesturing to the couch. "I'll go get him. Make yourself at home."

Alone in the living room, Scrooge surveyed his surroundings. There was a quilt on the back of the couch and another on the armchair. They faced a television, but the set itself was positioned between two large bookshelves. He didn't know Webby's new friend well, but this certainly tracked with what he _did_ know.

He crossed the room to study the far wall meticulously. A series of family portraits were lined up carefully in matching frames. There was Violet, in front of a poster board covered in chemical equations, holding a bright blue ribbon. Her again in the Junior Woodchuck uniform, building a tent with Tyrian. One from when she was much younger, sitting on Indigo's lap while he read her a story. There was even one of her wearing a gi, flipping a much larger bird over her shoulder.

The last one was his favorite. It was simple, Indigo holding Violet on his hip while Tyrian stood next to him, his head on his shoulder. He smiled, wondering how those pictures would change by the next time he visited.

A throat cleared behind him, and he turned his stern expression back on. They sat together on the couch and gestured for him to take the chair, still looking for words. To spare them the effort, Scrooge put the paper on the coffee table between them.

Indy just stared, but Ty picked it up gingerly. "Is this...Lena's birth certificate?"

Scrooge grimaced, her face going from stern to sheepish quickly. "...technically, no. Do you know her store?"

The couple exchanged a conspiratorial look before turning to face him again. "We're still piecing it together."

"Fair enough. All that matters just now is that she wasn't so much 'born' as 'created.' So what that is, in actuality, is-"

"A forgery," Indy finished.

Scrooge shrugged. "More or less. I had it made in case anyone started poking around in her past.

Ty's eyes were wide as he stared at the document but Indy was squinting at Scrooge suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because she's special. My kids love her. To tell you the truth, I've grown a bit fond of her myself." He reached into his pocket and produced another piece of paper, this one much smaller. "And so. If you have any trouble - lawyers, courts..." He paused, swallowing, before adding, " _Fees_ , what have you..." He set the card on the table since neither had moved to accept it. Then, sitting with his back straight as a board, he finished, "You have my number."

Indy stood, his whole body taut. "What? No 'A'll be watchin' ye' threat?"

Ty looked up at him, eyes wide. "Indy!"

Scrooge just blinked, his face as flat as his voice. "Your Scottish accent is atrocious."

"I'm not very good at impressions," he admitted, arms crossed.

"As far as 'watching you...'" Scrooge stood to meet his eye, both his hands resting on the top of his cane. It looked so casual, but was calculated to convey authority and control. "I doubt that's necessary. I've done my research. Besides, Violet seems to be a bright and happy young lady."

"We _are_ very proud of her," Ty interjected from his spot on the couch.

"Most importantly, Lena is an exceptionally good judge of character. If she wants to be part of your family...you'll do perfectly, as far as I'm concerned."

The tension in Indy's shoulders released, a beatific look spreading across his face. "She...hadn't told us she'd made up her mind yet."

"I'm sure she'll be along shortly," he said with a curt nod. "Good day, gentlemen."

The moment he stepped into the foyer, the door was thrown open in front of him, the girls tumbling into the house. Violet looked at him as if trying to solve a problem. Lena lifted an eyebrow but her smirk clearly said she wasn't surprised to see him.

"Violet. Lena," he greeted.

"Uncle Scrooge," the older girl said under her breath. He winked as Indy entered the room behind him. Before pulling the door behind him, he took one last look to see the man smiling softly at his girls.

Yes, Lena was going to be just fine.

"Not bad for a day's work," he said to himself, putting his top hat on. He pulled it down over his eyes as he stepped off the porch and walked into the sunset.


End file.
